Dark and light. 

Roadside poppies. 

Up close. 

In Maggie Valley

A stop on Tuesday's ride at the Wheels Through Time museum; motorcycle and transportation history heaven.

Owner Dale Walksler starting up one of the old ones. 

This one runs too. 

Out front, beautiful Maggie Valley. 

Ready to ride. 

Well, I remember 25c...many years after this was in operation.... 

New header photo

This one is looking east toward Andrews, NC, from U.S. 19/74; this area was called Valleytown when it was a Cherokee settlement, along the Valley River which flows to Murphy and the Hiwassee River, 15 miles to the west.

On top of the Blue Ridge

Technically this is not the Blue Ridge. These photos are from a short ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday; the section from Pigeon Gap to Balsam. This part of the Parkway covers the much higher Pisgah and Balsam ridges: the Blue Ridge is to the South, in the distance in some of these photos, near the South Carolina and Georgia state lines.  

I have more photos from yesterday to post, especially from the Wheels Through Time museum in Maggie Valley, and some from today, from the Cherohala Skyway and along the way. Will get them in next day or so.

What can I say, it's just been a nice couple days for riding the mountain roads....

Spectacular color on the roadsides. 

Azaleas in closeup; serviceberry and honeysuckle? too. 

Up here, it's still early spring. 

Cold Mountain. 

Another.... 

You can just see the Parkway, snaking up the tops of the mountains in center of the photo, heading up Pisgah Ridge... 

View of Looking Glass Rock, at left, looking south. 

Cherry blossoms among the balsams. 

Near the highest point on the Parkway, 6047 feet, probably just near the right top of this photo.... 

The balsams at this altitude, over a mile high, look black. 

Pickin' is back this week

An email from organizer Lisa Jacobi:

Friends-

Pickin' In The Park Kickoff (www.Pickin1.com) is this Thursday 6pm on along the banks of the Toccoa River in McCaysville, Georgia.
ETC is providing free boiled peanuts and soft drinks for this first thursday night of the season. They'll be doing some televising as well. All the deejays and staff from Wolf Creek Broadcasting (WLSB, WYHG, WALH) will be there listening and/or pickin'.
As always, this is a free weekly event by musicians for musicians and for those who love musicians. Can't even imagine what the crowds will be like. We're expecting at least 1000. So have patience with the parking. Make yourself a place.
If you spot them, take the time to say howdy to Margaret or Bill Mason of Mason Tractor Company and Mason Lawn and Garden who once again this year are the Presenting Sponsors. They are considered family.
Hope to see you there.

I'll see you there too.

Stormy weekend (and most of last week)

It's been wet wet wet, and this made for some interesting light yesterday evening.... 

The only clear sky all day. 

Still more storms coming.... 

After the sunset. 

Scenic Track Rock area, north Georgia (Brasstown Bald extreme left). These photos from Friday, when it didn't rain much.